From the Kitchen of Home of Cooks
Time to Prepare: 30 minutes Cook Time: 45-60 minutes Serving: 8-10 People
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter (2 Sticks) at room temperature 2 cups sugar 4 eggs, room temperature 1 cup milk, room temperature 3 cups all purpose flour, sifted 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 teaspoons baking powder zest from 1 orange pinch of salt Cooking Method
Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F.
Grease a 12 inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Then line the bottom with parchment paper.
Sift the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl.
Use a paddle attachment of an electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until smooth, about five minutes.
Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about four minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add vanilla and orange zest and continue to beat.
Add the flour and baking powder in four parts, alternating with the milk, beating well after each addition.
Pour the batter (it will be thick) into the pan and smooth top with a spatula.
Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the edges separate from the pan.
Remove from the oven and cool completely.
Remove the cake from the pan carefully and turn upside down on a plate. Wrap the coin in foil and push it upwards through the cake. Turn the cake back over and sprinkle it with powdered sugar. *See Helpful Tips for explanation of this tradition.
HELPFUL TIPS
It’s a Greek tradition for each family to cut a vasilopita (cake) on New Year’s Day. Each family member gets a piece and whoever receives the coin in their piece will have good luck in the New Year. You can divide the batter into two 6 inch round pans instead
of the one 12 inch round pan. You can use 1 ½ cups of self rising flour and 1 ½ cups all purpose flour, but you will have to reduce the baking powder by one teaspoon. This is a great cake that can be enjoyed all year round not only on New Year’s.
Download and print our recipe below!